Indian wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Sakshee Malikkh have written an open letter to the United World Wrestling (UWW) suggesting that their wrestling group is under threat but once more after the suspension of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) was lifted. UWW had suspended WFI in August for not holding elections and after six months determined to reinstate the Indian wrestling physique saying, “The UWW Bureau met on February 9 to review the suspension among other topics and considering all the elements and information, it decided to lift the suspension.”
However, on Thursday, February 15, each Punia and Malikkh in a protracted letter stated that the Indian wrestlers might be topic to harassment by the WFI members once more given the present president is an in depth aide of his predecessor. The duo stated that the WFI did not recognise even the sports activities ministry’s directives and the ad-hoc committee and requested to take mandatory motion towards the physique as a result of the wrestlers have misplaced their belief.
Here’s the assertion:
“This determination has once more put Indian wrestlers under threat and harassment by WFI members. This is to carry to your discover that this WFI was suspended by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYAS) dated 27 December 2023 due to severe anomalies after a few days of taking cost.
“MYAS additionally fashioned an Ad Hoc Committee to oversee and conduct wrestling actions. Even after this suspension, WFI members took blatant selections to conduct sporting actions with none recognition from sports activities ministries under the identical management. Wrestlers throughout India have misplaced belief and perception within the functioning of Wrestling Federation of India. Because of this MYAS took diligent steps and issued a round dated seventh January 2024.
“Even after this they’ve publicly issued statements towards wrestlers and Ad Hoc Committee. This elected physique remains to be being run by similar particular person and their allies who severe prices towards them and MYAS additionally took the identical in consideration whereas suspending the physique. For your reference now we have connected the talked about letters.
“We wrestlers request you kindly support Indian athletes against unfair practices and harassment through various means. Indian wrestlers are looking up to you for justice and their rights to fair and safe play. “We are hopeful that you’ll contemplate our request to help clear and truthful sports activities actions in India and take mandatory actions towards the WFI,” the joint assertion by Punia and Malikkh added.
The WFI president Sanjay Singh went forward and maintain nationwide championships going towards the ministry and the ad-hoc committee’s orders. Despite the reinstation, the UWW has talked about that it’ll hold it under verify. “The WFI has to immediately provide UWW with written guarantees that all wrestlers will be considered for participation without any discrimination in all WFI events, in particular trials for the Olympic Games and any other major national and international events. This non-discrimination includes the three athletes who protested against alleged wrongdoings by the former President,” it stated.
The reinstation signifies that the Indian wrestlers might be ready to play under the Indian flag within the competitions recognised by UWW the world over.Â
